On Friday, the Prime Minister said “anybody may use public transport” and pointed out that from 1 August employers will have more discretion as to where staff can work.

London Travel Watch director Emma Gibson said: “We know there is some spare capacity on public transport outside the rush hour in and around London so this (announcement) makes sense although more work needs to be done to reassure passengers that our trains, buses and Tube services are safe to use.”

But she added that a large number of people will have to continue working at home and offices will have to stagger their working times “so as not to overwhelm public transport during rush hour”.

Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said the Prime Minister’s announcement was good news for people who want to catch a bus, train or tram. “As the economy reopens and people start thinking about travelling again, it is important to be clear that you can now use public transport even if you have an alternative.”

But he added that “big hurdles remain before there is a mass return to office working” as people have got used to working from home, may have concerns about safety and the price might still put them off.

Campaign for Better Transport chief executive Darren Shirley said that a careful return to public transport, alongside walking, cycling and shared transport, “will be essential to avoiding congestion and high levels of pollution as more of us begin to head back to high streets and offices”.

Network Rail said this week it is deploying two and a half times the number of staff at its larger stations compared to before the pandemic to help reassure passengers. It also said vending machines at 20 of the biggest stations in the country are equipped to dispense face coverings, gloves, anti bacterial wipes and hand sanitiser.

• Also this week the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said it is working with Government to develop proposals to introduce flexible season tickets to give a better deal to commuters who decide not to travel each day. Director Robert Nisbet said: “Train companies fully understand that the way people are working and travelling is changing and that new types of ticket are needed to reflect that.”

Darren Shirley of the Campaign for Better Transport welcomed the development. “With many more people now expected to work from home for part of the week, the Government should insist that all operators offer such tickets, and that they give an equivalent discount to full time season tickets,” he said.

Photograph: Network Rail